


Here, Ephemeral

by cimberelly



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe - Organized Crime, Alternate Universe - Yakuza, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-27
Updated: 2014-04-27
Packaged: 2018-01-20 23:32:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1529837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cimberelly/pseuds/cimberelly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kise wants to see the cherry blossoms in full bloom even for just a while and Aomine indulges him. Unfortunately, duty calls and danger as always awaits them; they must move on. (Yakuza/Organized Crime AU)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Here, Ephemeral

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the BPS Challenge no. 68: AU. Shout out to [deplore](http://archiveofourown.org/users/deplore/pseuds/deplore) for starting us off in that Yakuza/Organized Crime AU RP thread. This fic will probably not exist otherwise.
> 
> Maybe someday I shall write more for other pairings in this fandom but for now, AoKise is it.
> 
> And additional warnings: inaccurate and loose treatment of Yakuza/organized crime themes, lots of sap and introspection from Aomine of all people. This fic defines self indulgence.

Kise wanted to see the cherry blossoms, which was probably something very predictable when it came to the blond. He liked pretty things and liked to surround himself with them. And Kise, being the demanding brat that he was, wanted to see them just when they have bloomed.

Those eyes were a curse, or at least that was what Aomine liked to grumble to himself when Kise turned them on him while he tried to focus on the road before him. Coupled with that pout then it was like you’ve gone and kicked a poor, orphaned puppy.

“Aominecchi…” The stupid nickame came out in a soft begging tone that was actually kind of tame in comparison to how the whining could usually get. “Please?”

Kise was obviously trying to be less annoying than usual, wanting to get into his good graces, or at least so as not to be given a flat out refusal this time. Aomine was the one manning the wheel and what he said was law. If Kise were to overturn his executive decision of going straight back home to Tokyo as per the plan, it was going to have to be through appealing to Aomine’s weakness: Kise being sweetly, gently persuasive with no trace of the usual brattiness.

Aomine didn’t have to turn his head to know that Kise was staring at him with those huge eyes and was utilizing a bit of that pouty lip. “We’re a day early and I promise I’ll pay for everything. We didn’t get to go together last year, remember?”

They were busy last year and hadn’t had the time to actually stop for side trips. Well, they did go and see the cherry blossoms with the others as tradition but being alone together was of course different.

Kise had always been sappy, especially during so-called “romantic” occasions.

But he was right. They were a day ahead of schedule and what they did with their own money was their business. This was a business trip of a sort but they had time and it wasn’t as if he lasted long when Kise really wanted something and was actually not being bratty about it.

Aomine sighed wearily before glancing quickly to the side. He caught a glimpse of wide, hopeful eyes on a too pretty face and he had to look forward quickly. He took a moment before replying. “Fine. But we’re starting early tomorrow morning. No complaining and no being slow, okay?”

If they weren’t in a moving vehicle, Aomine was sure Kise would have jumped him. They were, though, so all he got was a quick, happy kiss on the cheek. It was a brush of fragrant, expensive perfume with a feather light touch and was just too damned quick to be really enjoyed.

“I promise! Thank you, Aominecchi!” Aomine didn’t dare glance to him again because he was pretty sure he knew that the smile he was going to get would distract him too much. He was good at his job but not that good that he’d be able to just easily throw off one of Kise’s bright, happy smiles (it was seriously an occupational hazard).

He grunted in acknowledgment of the kiss, of the silent  _something more_  in the space between them before Kise launched into excited chatter over the route and hotel arrangements he got from Momoi. Long fingers swiped expertly over a colorful touch screen as Kise beamed and chattered, a familiar and pleasant feature of their trips together though of course Aomine would hardly ever say so. Traffic wasn’t bad and the roads were mostly clear. It didn’t take long before they arrived at the hotel they were to stay in.

Kise did all the talking, smiling and charming the lady at the frontdesk though he didn’t need to try all that hard. This was what Kise did, though, smiling and charming you until you think that you should get whatever he was selling and at what price he quoted because Kise was drop dead gorgeous and only had your best interests at heart. Meanwhile, Aomine took a strategic seat in the lobby where he had a good view of Kise’s back and the area around him plus a straight path to him should anything happen. It was out of instinct by then, something he did without thinking, even if they were just checking into a hotel for the night and were trying to go about it like it was no big deal. They were most probably unsuccessful. Kise was Kise and he just grabbed attention wherever he went and then there was him, Kise’s “companion”, who had “one of those faces”. “Those faces” meaning the face of someone you didn’t mess unless you're willing and eager to forfeit your life. Plus he was armed but no one needed to know that.

Their room was spacious with a comfy-looking king-sized bed and a good view of those blooming cherry blossoms that they came there for. The cherry blossoms were right outside and if he and Kise stepped out into the balcony, they could reach out and touch them. Kise immediately bee-lined for the view.

“Oi, put your coat back on.” Aomine called out to him because Kise got cold rather easily and had a bad habit of putting style over necessity.

Kise smiled over his shoulder at him just as he slid the doors open. “I’ll be fine. It’s not that cold.” He said just as the doors opened and a cool night breeze swept into the room, bringing with it a fresh gust of cherry blossom petals and a bit of a chill. Despite this, Kise laughed, grinning excitedly as he stood by the open sliding doors. With Kise standing there like that, some light filtering in from the light fixtures outside, the cherry blossom trees beyond the balcony framed him like a very pretty picture.

He held out a hand, beckoning Aomine to him, “Come on, Aominecchi. They’re so pretty.”

Aomine was tired from driving for hours, he was hungry and would just like to gorge himself on food they could have sent up to their room but he supposed he could indulge Kise some more. They were already there, weren’t they?

He sighed, almost yawning, before starting to walk toward Kise and the cherry blossoms, most probably doing it slower than Kise would have liked him to. By the time he could reach out and take Kise’s hand, the blond was starting to pout.

“Aominecchi…” The whining began but before he could start complaining for real and making grabby hands at him, he finally took Kise’s hand. That seemed to mollify him some and Aomine wasn’t surprised when Kise took more than just his hand. He stood closer and with a happy sigh, snuggled into him, using him like a human-sized heater like he always did.

“I told you to wear your coat.” Aomine scolded lowly, eyebrows furrowed, but didn’t push Kise away. Instead, he even held him closer, trying to warm him up.

Kise hummed and quietly but happily answered, “But you’re here.” He just stayed like that, snuggled into Aomine as they watched the cherry blossoms together.

Standing there quietly with Kise and watching the cherry blossoms in an expensive hotel room, Aomine forgot for a while that their nights usually weren’t this peaceful or quiet, when it was just the two of them and no one else mattered.

 

~*~

 

Reality literally came calling far too quickly.

His eyes opened in the dark when his cellphone rang and he didn’t need to look at the clock to know that it was an ungodly time for phone calls. It was still a long time from sunup but Aomine didn’t complain. This happened at times and his boss was actually kind of considerate most of the time. Well, more like he didn’t care for idle chitchat and wouldn’t actually call if it wasn’t necessary.

It was just a bit past midnight and Nijimura was calling. Aomine didn’t let him wait long.

“Yeah?” He answered, voice low and gruff from being woken up so abruptly.

“Where are you and Kise?”

He knew that voice. It was steady and calm as it usually was but it still caused Aomine to feel a sliver of concern. Nijimura never made social calls. If he wanted information, he could ask Aomine or whoever to send it over unless it was very urgent. Aomine let him know earlier on that they were stopping somewhere for the night and they were given permission. Nijimura actually calling them usually meant bad news.

“Same place I told you last night.” Aomine confirmed briskly, not wanting to keep the other waiting.

There was a bit of a pause, almost indecipherable but Aomine caught it before Nijimura spoke again. “Someone tried to kill Akashi.”

Steady and calm, even when delivering news like that. Of course this wasn’t anything new. Akashi Seijuuro was always targeted by virtue of being his father’s successor and so far, all attempts of ending his life have failed.

Aomine then remembered something crucial. “That’s the second one in a month.”

“You and Kise will be here before noon.” Straightforward, no bullshit. It was a fact more than an order and Aomine always appreciated that from Akashi Seijuuro’s second-in-command.

“Yeah, we’ll see you then.”

The call ended and it didn’t surprise Aomine when Kise turned over not a second later, eyes open and without a trace of sleepiness. He probably woke up the same time he did.

“Is Akashicchi all right?” Steady, calm. Learning to keep your emotions in check helped a lot in coping and surviving in their world. Kise may be a bit of a crybaby but when it was important, he kept his cool and was more than competent under pressure. Aomine was always grateful for that.

He looked to Kise when he asked the question and nodded though it was probably a bit too dark to see clearly, “If he wasn’t, I’m sure Nijimura-san would have told me.”

“Good.” Kise said quietly but then drew closer to Aomine, snuggling into his embrace as if seeking comfort. Like always, Aomine’s arms closed around him but the mood now was far from peaceful, the circumstances far from simple. They were expected early but Aomine had a feeling they both wouldn’t be able to sleep much after being given summons like that.

Danger awaited in Tokyo, as always, but Aomine didn’t think he’d ever really get used to it the way he probably should, especially when there were people in particular he wanted to protect. He tightened his hold on Kise a little and he didn’t resist.

After a while, Kise sat up, looking to Aomine with a bit of a smile, a faint copy of his usual one. His kiss when he pressed it against Aomine’s lips was soft but lingering, like he really didn’t want to stop but had to.

“I’ll just go to the bathroom.” He whispered almost against their lips and Aomine nodded silently in reply before letting him go.

He watched Kise as he padded off to the bathroom. After opening the door, he turned on the light and Aomine got a good view of fair, naked skin and long, sculpted limbs from where he lay. Kise was gorgeous, there was no question about that. The light also revealed the secret Kise hid under his clothes: the koi and lotus inked on his back. Kise used to be a model but he said that there were more important things than his own vanity. As far as Aomine was concerned, the irezumi gave him a different kind of beauty, but one that perhaps only a few could really appreciate unlike his pretty face in lights and shadows.

The door closed and Aomine lay with his eyes open in the dark. It was quiet and peaceful. Outside, beyond the closed sliding doors, a gentle wind played with the cherry blossom trees, making their branches sway. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes and willed himself to relax.

They still had a few hours and some night time to rest. For now, he lay on the bed and waited for Kise to come back as if they had nowhere else to be. In the dark with just Kise, he could forget, at least for a while, the demon on his own skin, the mark of his allegiance, and the things they had to do to secure Akashi Seijuuro’s victory.


End file.
